Minutes - Minutes of the May meeting are corrected to include the
fact that although CANA originally backed School 10 for the location of
the Artists’ All Faith Center, the site a 453 North Pearl Street was
selected. Additionally, Betsy Scherer’s email address is corrected to
bshearer@Quixnet.net.

Guest Speakers – Joseph Stellato and Bart Bush, Office of Real
Property Management and Development, New York State Office of General
Services

Deputy Commissioner Bush and Director Stellato attended the
meeting to present information and addressed concerns about the
proposed Redevelopment Strategy for the Harriman State Office
Campus.

In 1998 the Office of General Services was successful in
obtaining the necessary support from the Governor and legislature to
begin implementation of a strategy for the modernization of Capital
District State offices, also known as "The Albany Plan. Of the
five key components to the plan, the modernization and/or renovation
of the 50-year-old Harriman Campus is the last to be studied and
considered. The consulting team of Hamilton, Rabinovitz, &
Alschuler conducted studies and interviews necessary to prepare a
redevelopment study. The study determined that the buildings at the
Campus have outgrown their useful life and are not a good working
environment for the thousands individuals working at the 300+ acre
site. It is generally accepted in the building industry that office
and commercial buildings erected during the 1950’s and 1960’s
are presently inferior and inefficient; as a result, several
buildings at the Campus will be demolished and replaced rather than
renovated.

After evaluating the present conditions at the Campus, it was
determined that the cost of complete rehabilitation would be
approximately $300 million and, after completed, would still not be
acceptable. The Capital District is attractive to business;
therefore, the study considered replacing the office buildings on
the site with hotels, residences, recreational facilities, and/or
"big box" retail facilities before primarily focusing on
redeveloping the site as a complex of buildings to be leased to
businesses engaged in research and development. Companies in that
field have expressed an interest in forming an academic partnership
with SUNY, and the Harriman Campus’s proximity to the SUNY campus
is expected to increase their interest. There is an abundance of
grant money available for partnerships such as this, which adds to
its appeal.

State offices that are presently located on the Harriman Campus
would be relocated to the downtown areas of Albany, Schenectady,
Rensselaer and Troy and provide an economic advantage to those
areas. The transformation and transition is expected to take ten to
twenty years to complete.

Messrs. Stellato and Bush emphasized that the proposal to
redevelop the Campus for use as a research and development complex
is a recommendation only at this stage and that the plan may, in
fact, change. Materials have been distributed and published that
provide a visual plan of the proposed use are very preliminary and
will certainly change as the plan develops.

Any redevelopment proposal for the site involves SEQR. The period
for public comment will be open until June 18. OGS will be meeting
with the Empire State Development Corporation to develop a
recommendation to the governor and legislature. They are seeking
input and comments now and as the project develops.

The following issues were raised by attendees and addressed by
Mr. Stellato and Mr. Bush.

The Campus is often perceived as one large, asphalt
parking lot that is very disconnected from the City, and the
drawings of the proposed redevelopment do not seem to change
that impression. The addition of green space and/or the
re-establishment of the area to the original street grid
would reincorporate the Campus into City. It is apparent
that the ring roads prevent convenient access to the Campus.
Discussions are underway with CDTA to address better public
transportation into and around the Campus as it is
redeveloped.

(The speakers emphasized that the drawings presented form a
general impression of the area after redevelopment. They will
change many times before a final plan is adopted)

Members suggested that the campus, or part of it, be
developed for community use.

The comment was made that the proposed plan has a look to
it that emulates a shopping center and that more green space
would be desirable.

The Campus is very difficult to negotiate. The ring roads
are confusing and, unless you are familiar with them, can be
dangerous to maneuver. Additionally they keep the Campus
isolated. It does not appear to be a destination for anyone
who does not work there. It needs to be inviting.

Another effect of the ring roads is that they lead into
the major highways. Many workers at the Campus do not use
the roads that lead to the neighborhoods and businesses.
Therefore, better integration of the Campus into the
community via infrastructure and public transportation is
desirable.

Removal of the ring roads is unlikely because of the
expense to demolish them. It is anticipated that if the
Campus becomes part of a research and development
partnership with SUNY, roadways providing direct access
between the two campuses will be built.

The number of people working at the location will be
approximately the same.

Concern about the possible congestion of traffic in the
area was raised, particularly in light of the proposed site
of Albany’s new middle school so close to the Campus.
Better access by public transportation should be offered as
well as incentives for employees at the site to car pool.

Members expressed concern about Albany’s ownership in
the plan and what benefits it will receive from
redevelopment of the Campus. Implementation of any
redevelopment strategy will require that a partnership be
formed between OGS, SUNYA, and ESDC, and the authors of the
study have recommended the formation of a quasi-public
development entity to combine the resources of the three
participants. That development corporation will be comprised
of residents of Albany, representatives from SUNYA, NYS,
ESDC, and government leaders from the City of Albany.
Although the City’s role is not yet defined, it will have
a formal role in planning and implementation. The City and
its residents are encouraged to read the plan (available on
the CANA website) and become active participants. OGS
welcomes comments via letter, email (public.information@ogs.state.ny.us)
or telephone calls. A link to the website will be sent to
Howie Stoller and made available to CANA members.

The City is likely to receive $60 million over 20 years
if the Campus is redeveloped into a tech park.

The type of research and development proposed will not be
intrusive to the surrounding neighborhoods.

Some types of research being considered include thin
films, nano sciences, atmospheric sciences, genomics, fuel
cells, molecular research, neurobiology, and plasma
research.

None of the land either on the Campus or at SUNY located
in the Town of Guilderland.

A draft timeline is being developed for publication prior
to public hearings and the SEQR process.

The student housing presently under construction on the
SUNY campus was not planned in partnership with the City of
Albany. Members requested and received assurances that
Albany would participate in the redevelopment process and
not simply be asked to approve a plan subsequent to its
development.

Use as residential housing has not been excluded although
is difficult for the planners to envision.

The consultants have conducted extensive interviews with
Albanians in order to include their views in the final plan.

Successful research parks in the cities of Boston, New
Haven, Worcester, Richmond Cambridge, and North Greenbush
were analyzed as models for the SUNY tech park.

Amenities such as retail and eating establishments are
planned in the model for the new work force that is expected
to populate the proposed tech park.

Messrs. Stellato and Bush can provide an update to CANA at
the September meeting. At that time, they expect to be able to
also present information about the environmental impact study.

Communications and Announcements

PO Matthew Montesano presented information about the
"Watch Your Car" decal program as well as the VIN
Etching Program that was presented at the CANA meeting of June
6, 2001. The CANA website now contains a link which can be
accessed to enroll in these programs.

§

Howard Stoller gave report of CANA’s
finances.

§

Gene Solan distributed
information about the Neighborhood Resource Center, Inc., and
requested that neighborhood association contact and boundary
updates be submitted to him within 30 days.

§

On behalf of Tom McPheeters,
Rev. Joyce Harwell announced that ARISE will sponsor a daylong
event at SUNYA on July 17, 2002, to address the problem of vacant
housing in the City of Albany. Input from neighborhood
representatives and citizens is being sought. Other issues to be
discussed include instruction and training programs relative to
the care of houses.

§

Marggie Skinner updated
members on the history of Albany exhibit that will be held at SUNY
in the fall. Photographs of eight of Albany’s neighborhoods have
been submitted, and members are encouraged to contact her or Wes
Balla to have additional photos or information considered.

§

Newly elected library board
members Mary Ellen O’Connor and Mimi Mounteer were
congratulated.

Committee Reports

University and Community Relations – Tom Gebhardt

§

Information about the off-campus
hotline calls was distributed. Since the 1991-92 academic year,
hotline calls have decreased 73%.

§

The next meeting of the committee
will be at 7:00 PM on June 12 at the Albany Police Department at 526
Central Avenue. Guest Speaker Anthony J. Capece will present
information about the plans to improve the Central Business District

§

The "Safe Summer" Campaign
is underway.

§

The committee will develop their
13-point plan over the summer.

Reapportionment Committee – Marggie Skinner

Donald Wardle (United Tenants) urged CANA members to attend
one of the City Reapportionment Commission’s remaining few
meetings within the next two weeks and take advantage of the
15-minute comment period that precedes each of their meetings.
The incumbent city council members seem to be influencing the
decisions being made by the Commission. The final proposal by
the Commission will be made shortly, and it may be another ten
years before there is another opportunity to address
reapportionment.

There will be no CANA meetings in July and August. The next meeting
is scheduled for September 4, 2002.